<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Gifts by GoringWriting</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28376835">Gifts</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoringWriting/pseuds/GoringWriting'>GoringWriting</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adorable Merlin (Merlin), Courting Rituals, Gift Giving, Gwaine Being Gwaine (Merlin), Love, M/M, Merlin is a Little Shit, Merlin's Neckerchief (Merlin), POV Lancelot (Merlin), Tournaments</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:20:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,577</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28376835</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoringWriting/pseuds/GoringWriting</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The knights of the Roundtable have finally received their first set of wages. Everyone wonders what Lancelot is going to use his on.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lancelot/Merlin (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>320</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Gifts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So, Lancelot. What are you going to spend your first wages as a knight on?" Gwaine asks elbowing him in the side.</p><p>"Probably give it to charity or something else noble like that," Elyan says.</p><p>"I was actually going to buy a gift," Lancelot says.</p><p>"Oooh? A gift for a lovely Lady? A courting gift perhaps?" Gwaine says wagging an eyebrow.</p><p>"Not for a lady," Lancelot mutters and tries to ignore Percival grinning at him knowingly.</p><p>"A man? Oooh this is getting even more interesting. Who is it?" Gwaine asks.</p><p>"None of your business," Lancelot says.</p><p>"You wound me. Percival, you've spent the most time with him. Tell us has he spoken about any lovely young men?"</p><p>"No..." Percival says and Lancelot breathes a sigh of relief.</p><p>"...but he did receive nearly monthly letters from Camelot. They were never signed but he had the stupidest look on his face whenever he read them," Percival says and Lancelot has never been more betrayed.</p><p>"Is that how you knew to come help take Camelot back?" Leon asks.</p><p>"Yes. He got a letter in the middle of the night and next thing I know we're riding towards Camelot and I'm knocking rocks down onto Cenred's men," Percival says.</p><p>"So that narrows down who it could be. The only people who would have known we were in that cave are us, Gaius, Merlin, King Arthur, and Gwen," Leon says.</p><p>"Well two of us didn't know Lancelot when he arrived. So it can't be Gwaine nor I," Elyan says.</p><p>"And I pray Gaius would be too old," Leon saga shuddering.</p><p>"Gwen is the wrong gender," Gwaine says.</p><p>"And Percival wouldn't need to write letters if he was traveling with him. So the options left are Leon, Princess, and Merlin," Gwaine says.</p><p>"Don't look at me, I was dying, dead, being examined by Gaius, in the dungeon and escaping with Gwen. I didn't have time to send a letter," Leon says.</p><p>"We don't have time to unpack all of that," Elyan says.</p><p>"So, that leaves Arthur and Merlin," Percival says.</p><p>"Okay, so either the King or his Manservant. Hmmmm," Elyan says.</p><p>"I was with both of them, Arthur didn't disappear long enough to send a letter. But Merlin was in and out of the place. So it has to be Merlin," Gwaine says.</p><p>"It would make sense. The first time I met Lancelot was because he was brought here after saving Merlin's life and getting injured," Leon says.</p><p>"So, you're planning to court Merlin huh?" Gwaine grins.</p><p>"I never said it was a courting gift," Lancelot says.</p><p>"But you never denied that it was. Just that it was a woman you'd be giving it too. So, what are you going to give him?" Elyan says.</p><p>"I was thinking I would start with a new neckerchief. Then a new jacket, and then a new blanket. When I was last here his blanket was barely more than a scrap," Lancelot says.</p><p>"You're right there mate. Thing is more a rag than a blanket," Gwaine says.</p><p>"You've both been in his bed?" Elyan asks incredulously.</p><p>"It seems Merls has a habit of putting injured people who save his life in his bed," Gwaine says grinning.</p><p>"That is odd that it's happened twice," Leon says.</p><p>"Anyway, I like the idea of a new neckerchief. Do you know what color you want to get him?" Elyan asks as they make their way down to the market.</p><p>"I was thinking a couple in soft blue. Perhaps similar in color to a shirt I have. </p><p>"Cute," Gwaine says and they make their way over to the table of fabric in the square and Lancelot searches through several of the swatches before finding a color close enough to his shirt.</p><p>He shows the selection to the woman behind the table and explains what he's looking for and she nods and says she'll send a message when they're done and he pays the fee. </p><p>Several day he heads back from the seamstress with the wrapped bundle of neckerchiefs under his arm and a smile as he looks for Merlin. The man should be on his way back from getting Arthur ready for bed. Perhaps Lancelot can intercept him and walk him back.</p><p>Sure enough he can see the man in front of him and he jogs to catch up.</p><p>"Good evening Merlin. How are you?" Lancelot asks.</p><p>"Oh, hello Lancelot. I'm well. A bit tired though," Merlin says.</p><p>"May I walk you back to Gaius'?"</p><p>"If you want," Merlin says with a grin. Lancelot offers his arm and when they get back to the Physician's chamber, Gaius is still gone.</p><p>"Would you like to stay while I crush herbs?" Merlin asks two twin splashes of red on his cheek.</p><p>"Of course. But first I would like to give you something," Lancelot says.</p><p>"It's not Yule or my birthday," Merlin says.</p><p>"I know," Lancelot says and hand the package over to him and Merlin smiles a little as he opens it.</p><p>"Thank you Lancelot. These are amazing. I'm lucky to have such a good friend," Merlin says and Lancelot freezes.</p><p>"Right a friend," Lancelot says and watches his...friend tie one around his neck and begin grinding the herbs onto powder and Lancelot smiles as Merlin babbles about his day. </p><p> </p><p>The next week Lancelot searches for Merlin with a jacket tucked under his arm. This one is a soft brown like Merlin's current one. But warmer and sturdier. </p><p>"Hello Lancelot," Merlin says when Lancelot nearly runs into him on the training field. Pleased to see him wearing one of the light blue neckerchiefs.</p><p>"Hey Merlin. I have another gift for you," Lancelot says and hands the package to him. </p><p>Merlin opens it and pulls the jacket out and his face lights up and Lancelot ignores the eyes of the knights on him. Their opinions don't matter. </p><p>"Thank you Lancelot," he says and puts it on.</p><p>Lancelot heads over to the other knights and quickly gets ready for training.</p><p> </p><p>The next time Lancelot has a blanket in his arms and he's heading to Merlin's room. Gaius is out and Merlin is in the armory. The blanket is a dark blue. It was expensive. He had to save up most of his pay for it but it's worth it. </p><p>Worth it for Merlin.</p><p>When he's done making the bed up with the blanket and the new pillows, several more than Merlin had had to begin with, Merlin's bed looks so inviting that Lancelot decides to sneak a nap in.</p><p>He awakens several hours later with a warm weight in his arms. Merlin must have come back and decided that instead of waking him, to just slide into the bed with him.</p><p>Lancelot feels his face flush but pulls Merlin closer, sighing at the warmth of the other.</p><p> </p><p>"Ready for your first tournament?" Leon asks from where his squire is tightening his armor. </p><p>"Yes, I can't wait to show what I am capable of without having to worry about my life or the life of anyone else," Lancelot says. Thanking whatever powers that exist that this seems to be a normal tournament with no threat to Arthur.</p><p>"Get any tokens from anyone Leon?" Gwaine says. He'd been fending off favors all day and Gwen had already been through to give Arthur his.</p><p>"No. I'm not looking to court anyone at the moment," Leon says and they all give Lancelot a soft look. It's no secret that Merlin remained oblivious to his intentions with the gifts. Lancelot watches all of them leave, including Arthur and he stays back fiddling with his bracer. He never was good at them.</p><p>"Here, allow me," Merlin says coming in and taking the arm into his hands and adjusting it.</p><p>"Thank you Merlin," Lancelot says almost sobbing when he sees Merlin is back in one of his old red neckerchiefs.</p><p>"Of course my friend... something is missing though," he says.</p><p>"Like your newer neckerchiefs?" Lancelot asks before he can hold his tongue.</p><p>"Well, I couldn't very well use a gift from you as a token could I?" Merlin asks and before Lancelot can think about that Merlin is removing the fabric from his neck and tying it around Lancelot's bicep and uttering a spell to keep it secure.</p><p>"A...a token?" Lancelot says softly.</p><p>"Yes... I admit it took me a bit to realize you were courting me but when I did I had to practice until I had my response ready. This is just a token. I'll give you my courting gift after the tournament," Merlin says and Lancelot's eyes are glued to the bare skin of Merlin's neck. There would be no confusion as to where it is. As soon as Lancelot steps out the whole of Camelot will know Merlin gave him a token.</p><p>Lancelot really likes the idea of that.</p><p>"When I win, may I kiss you?" Lancelot asks.</p><p>"If you win, I'll kiss you in front of everyone you possessive ass," Merlin says with a giggle.</p><p>"Oh, there is no if Merlin," Lancelot says and Merlin walks him out to the field before going over to the other servants.</p><p>The tournament is a blur for Lancelot until he's standing in the center of the field, armor dented and sword dinged up and Merlin is throwing his arms around him and pressing a kiss to his lips.</p><p>Lancelot smiles. He told Merlin it wasn't a matter of if.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>